U3A Benalla and District Inc.
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The task for July is to dip into our 'Ideas Piggy Bank' (or bottom drawer, or shed, wherever you have a store of treasured objects)

4/7/2020

 
A collection of stories responding to topics set during the Covid-18 break is now available on the “Our Stories” page on website.  Our most recent topic, “I Grew Up in….”, resulted in evocative stories being shared describing growing up in ‘an institutional setting’, Chiltern, ‘the War Years’, Ireland, ‘a family of six’, with more to come.

The task for late July is to dip into our “Ideas Piggy Bank”.  If you are new to the group or thinking of joining, the idea is to create an “Ideas Piggy Bank” in a shoe box, or treasured, perhaps decorated box, adding to it “objects and artefacts that enliven your memories, through scent and feel.  Maps, menus, theatre programs, an old report card, vials of perfume, a garment, treasured photographs, a souvenir, an expired passport can sometimes trigger a work rich with detail”. (2) Select two items from this piggy bank as creative prompts – what do they mean to you?  What were you doing, why; what were you thinking at the time this object related to your life?   (250 words for each object).  Perhaps you could attach a photo or two to the email to include with your story on the web site.   

Last year, group members reminisced drawing upon objects and artefacts including two Olympic Games programs; a breakfast menu from the Ghan; a treasured family photo; a missive won as an award as a child, a pair of toe shoes worn as a 13 year old; a Brownie Box camera; a brooch; mementos of trips abroad; an imagined blue Malvern Star bike ridden on for the first time; rosary beads; a toy made by a treasured friend; a small folio of papers and newspaper articles found after a father's death; three wise monkeys and Milk Arrowroot biscuits.

An alternative topic on offer in July, is ‘Car Stories’ - the brief ‘So many formative moments happen in cars – tell us about a memorable experience you had in yours.  It could be your first taste of P-plate freedom, a revealing in-transit conversation, or how an accident, a flat tyre, or parking ticket set off a chain of events in your day…or?’   

After enjoying readubg Claire's nostalgia inducing story 'How I met Karl' in July, 'How We Met' was set as the alternative topic.  Later I remembered this had been a topic not that long ago.  If you haven't already written a nostalgia filled 'How we met...' story, or if you would like to write another one, feel free to do so! 

​Bev Lee

June - drawing on our 'ideas piggy banks'

7/7/2019

 
In June our task was to create and bring to class an ‘Ideas Piggy Bank” containing objects and artifacts that enliven our memories, through scent and feel.   Treasured family photos, a Brownie Box camera, a brooch, mementos of trips abroad, an imagined blue Malvern Star bike ridden on for the first time, rosary beads, a toy made by a treasured friend, a small folio of papers and newspaper articles found after a father's death, three wise monkeys, Milk Arrowroot biscuits, and more were presented, with stories about them shared and discussed.
 
Our 500 words topic for July is  “Your different drummer” …  How strong is your instinct to go with the flow?  When has it served you well?  When has it been counter productive?  
In 'Writing and Publishing Your Memoirs', Noelle introduced a memoir written by David Malouf as one of many examples of engagingly written memoirs, Noelle certainly has a wonderful 'ideas piggy bank' of possibilities drawn from her experience in the publishing industry which apply to memoir writing.
  
Our July session will again be a split session, with 'As Time Goes By -500 words' from 1.30 to 2.50 then 'Writing and Publishing your Memoirs' from 3.10 to 4.30.  From August, there will be three separate writing  sessions, all on Monday afternoons. 'Publishing and Writing your Memoirs' (Noelle McCracken), has been timetabled on the third Monday from 2 to 4 pm, joining "Creative Writing' (second Monday 2.30 to 4.30 pm) and 'As Time Goes By - 500 words' (fourth Monday 2-4 pm).  A wonderful menu to choose one or more writing courses from!
​
Bev Lee
    Our Stories- by Author
    Our Stories -  by Topic

    About  'As Time Goes By' - Memoir Writing

    'As Time Goes By' provides an outlet and support for members keen to write about their lives and  tell stories their families may not get around to asking them about.   A memoir is a slice from a person’s life which focuses on a particular theme or lesson or flavor of experience, an aspect of life that is most unusual or fascinating.   Each month class members reminisce, write about and share memorable ‘slices’ from their lives in response to set ‘500 Words’ themed writing topics.  

    Please note - The course is not a writing skills class and does not cover writing a detailed, chronological autobiography.

    Convenor & Contact details

    Picture
    Beverley Lee
    0478 607 838

    Meeting Times

    3rd Monday 2 - 4 pm
    ​U3A Meeting Room
    'How to Write a Story in 500 words - Planning'
    Memoir Review - Framework for Analysis
    Master list of  500 word story topics from 2015 to end of 2020

    Links

    Australian Writers' Centre

    Victorian Writers' Centre - Writers' Victoria

    ​Wheeler Centre

    The Memoir Writing Club - On Line Courses

    Past topics 

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    2018 Topic List
    '23 Words'
    'A Friendship Tested' //
    'A Love Letter To Travel'
    'A Turning Point'
    Australian Writers Centre
    'Car Stories' //
    Course Description
    'Easter'
    'Experiences Of The Unexplained'
    'Fish Out Of Water'
    'For Better For Worse' //
    'Good Vibrations'
    'Grandparents' //
    'Heartbreak'
    'I Broke It'
    'Ideas Piggy Bank'
    'If Only'
    'I Quit!' //
    Life Matters 'Life In 500 Words'
    'Lost And Found' //
    Making Comments
    'Making Waves'
    'My Other Life'
    'One Moment
    'Stand Up Comedy'
    This Year'
    'What Happened In Vegas'

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We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and pay our respects to their elders - past, present and emerging.
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